“Is this really appropriate?” Cheng Zheng blurted out.

“What’s appropriate or inappropriate about it?” Cheng Jing said coldly. “We’ve also been forced into this situation.”

Cheng Zheng fell silent.

Cheng Jing valued this eldest daughter most, and her son-in-law was extremely capable with a bright future ahead. Seeing that his eldest daughter didn’t seem entirely approving, he thought for a moment and decided he should still tell her about those past grievances with the Second Branch, lest she think he was repaying kindness with enmity and didn’t know gratitude. “Zheng’er, do you know why your Fourth Uncle has been unable to enter official service?”

Cheng Zheng looked at her father in astonishment.

This was something she had never understood either.

Were the household affairs really that important?

So important that they would suppress a double-examination scholar from entering official service!

When people asked, Father and Uncle would always say it was because Fourth Uncle couldn’t endure the tedium of paperwork and didn’t wish to enter official service.

If that were the case, why go through such hardship to pass the imperial examination? Wouldn’t it have been better to just remain a recommended scholar?

Because of this matter, Fourth Uncle had nearly become the laughingstock of Jiangnan’s aristocratic families.

People felt that Fourth Uncle was abandoning a perfectly good official career to mix with merchants trading between north and south, blinded by profit, forgetting his origins, with questionable character… Fourth Uncle certainly hadn’t anticipated this when he took the imperial examination!

However, if Fourth Uncle hadn’t taken the imperial examination, he probably wouldn’t have had an easy time either.

Who would take notice of someone from a noble family who had no scholarly achievements?

Only now did she realize just how awkward Cheng Chi’s position was.

“Why doesn’t Fourth Uncle enter official service?” Cheng Zheng couldn’t help but murmur.

Cheng Jing’s expression grew even more stern as he said in a low voice, “Back then, your grandfather was in his prime years, yet fell gravely ill with little time left. Cheng Xu kept avoiding discussing succession matters with your grandfather. Finally, when we managed to get Cheng Xu to come over, he kept making excuses. One moment he’d say Father’s illness would soon improve and your grandfather shouldn’t worry needlessly; the next moment he’d say the official career path was difficult now, the Emperor’s moods unpredictable, serving the sovereign was like serving a tiger; then he’d say he had long tired of dealing with court officials, and had thought that in a few years Father would retire and hand over the family records to your grandfather, who would shoulder the responsibility of bringing glory to the family… He just wouldn’t discuss how to arrange matters going forward. Your Second Uncle and I were completely confused. It was your Second Grand-Uncle who finally revealed the truth. He told your grandfather that once your grandfather passed away, your Second Uncle and I would have to return home to observe mourning. Observing mourning was a small matter, but resuming service was the big issue. If we were assigned to some remote, impoverished place as county magistrates or left idle at home, after a few years everything would have changed, and your Second Uncle and I would likely fade into obscurity. At that point, we would truly have to live according to Cheng Xu’s whims…”

Cheng Zheng couldn’t hide her shock!

Father had reached the point of directly calling the Second Branch’s ancestor by name. One could see how furious this matter made Father!

She sat up straight solemnly.

Cheng Jing paused for a moment, then continued, “Your grandfather and Second Grand-Uncle arranged to speak with Cheng Xu. Since your Second Uncle and I already held scholarly titles and were adults, your grandfather arranged for us to listen quietly from behind a screen.

“Cheng Xu kept going in circles with your grandfather.

“Your grandfather was already terminally ill at the time, struggling even to speak and eat. If not for these unresolved matters, the old man would have passed on long ago.” At this point, tears glistened in the corners of Cheng Jing’s eyes. “Where did the old man have the energy to go back and forth with Cheng Xu? He had no choice but to ask Cheng Xu directly what his plans were. Only then did Cheng Xu say that the Cheng family had few descendants. He wanted your Fourth Uncle to manage the household affairs when he grew up.

“At the time, we all felt relieved.

“Your Fourth Uncle was not yet seven years old then, right at the age for mischief. Climbing roofs to remove tiles, going down to the river to catch fish—there was no end to it. We never saw him sit down properly to read even a single page. Your grandfather feared that after he was gone, no one would be able to control your Fourth Uncle. He had already left instructions for your Second Uncle and me to look after your Fourth Uncle, not allowing the family to divide as long as I lived. If your Fourth Uncle grew up willing to study and enter official service, that would be good; if he only wished to be a carefree gentleman, we should hand over the First Branch’s household affairs to him to manage. If he didn’t even want to manage the First Branch’s affairs, your Second Uncle and I should just keep an eye on him and prevent him from breaking laws or ruining the ancestors’ reputation.

“Now Cheng Xu proposed letting your Fourth Uncle manage the affairs of Jiuru Lane after he grew up—this simply found a path forward for your Fourth Uncle. Your Second Uncle and I both thought Cheng Xu was worried that with three sons in the First Branch, if the Third Branch produced another scholar it would suppress the Second Branch. Seeing your Fourth Uncle’s unruly manner, we both felt this arrangement was quite acceptable.

“However, your grandfather was more perceptive than we were. Upon hearing this, not only did he not feel pleased, he actually frowned and asked Cheng Xu what he meant. He also said Fourth Uncle probably wasn’t suitable.

“Cheng Xu smiled slightly and said nothing more, getting up to take his leave.

“Your grandmother and Second Uncle didn’t try to keep him.

“But just as he was nearly at the door, he suddenly turned back and said to your grandfather that neither he, nor your great-grandfather and grandfather, had any talent for business. For all these years, the family had been struggling along relying entirely on the foundation left by the old ancestors. For the sake of ancestral reputation, he had even arranged for his only son to manage the household affairs, and in the end that son died young. He, a white-haired man, had sent off his black-haired son, leaving only an orphan and widow who needed care…

“He had done everything he could. Since the First Branch people were single-mindedly determined to enter official service and unwilling to arrange anyone to take over the household affairs, then the household affairs would continue to be managed by the Second Branch. Henceforth, it would have nothing to do with the First Branch, and he would also move the Second Branch to the capital.”

He added, “I nearly forgot—the First and Second Branches had long since divided the family!”

Cheng Zheng listened in stunned amazement and couldn’t help saying, “Was the old man confused? It’s just household affairs. Many families hire their own stewards to manage them. As long as there are still people entering official service in the family, the business won’t suffer. Moreover, there’s no such thing as perfection in this world. You can’t both aspire to be a cabinet minister and want your coffers overflowing with gold and silver, taking the upper hand in everything—how would others survive? The world has always worried not about scarcity but about inequality. Court officials doing business already have advantages over others—how can they also compete for profit with the common people? This doesn’t reflect the bearing of a family that passes down poetry, rites, and propriety!”

As the eldest legitimate grandson, Cheng Jing naturally knew about the Seven Star Hall matter.

But this was the Cheng family’s secret. No matter how much he favored Cheng Zheng, he couldn’t tell her about the Cheng family’s secrets.

He could only speak vaguely, “Cheng Xu’s concerns weren’t without reason. Back when Third Master Ze from the Third Branch was managing the family property, it was during the dynastic transition. Many people lived day to day without knowing if they’d see tomorrow, and propriety and shame were completely disregarded. The reputations of Masters Zhi and Lie could no longer protect him. The Cheng family had been wealthy in Jinling for over a hundred years. When those officials, refugees, and bandits had no silver or food, the Cheng family was the first they thought of. To preserve the family estate, Master Ze had no choice but to continuously spend large sums hiring guards, opening granaries to distribute food, entertaining guests and giving gifts. By the time Cheng Xu took over, the family was already an empty shell. It wasn’t until recent years when your Fourth Uncle has been managing affairs that the family gradually recovered its vitality.”

The corners of Cheng Zheng’s mouth twitched slightly, but in the end she said nothing.

She had grown up in Hanbi Mountain Villa—how could she not know what kind of life the family led?

Even the renowned Haining Gu family—when she married into it, she had been privately surprised by the Gu family’s modest circumstances. It wasn’t until she began interacting with other aristocratic families in Jiangnan that she discovered it wasn’t that the Gu family was too poor, but that the Cheng family was too wealthy… That Fourth Uncle ultimately took charge of the household affairs was, in the end, because Grandfather, Father, and Second Uncle couldn’t bear to part with the silver, couldn’t bear to part with that wealth… But as a member of the younger generation, there were some things she couldn’t say.

Cheng Jing, thinking about past events, didn’t pay much attention to Cheng Zheng’s expression.

“But your grandfather ultimately felt heartache for your Fourth Uncle and never agreed. It wasn’t until the Hanlin Academy promoted two vice chancellors for instruction, and your Second Grand-Uncle, whose qualifications and learning were evident to all, wasn’t selected, that your grandfather had someone make inquiries. Only then did he learn that your Second Grand-Uncle had originally been on the list.

“Because Cheng Xu said that your Second Grand-Uncle was his own nephew and still young, needing several more years of tempering. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future. He even joked with the chancellor of the Hanlin Academy, saying that since your Second Grand-Uncle had yielded this time, the next time they selected vice chancellors, the Hanlin Academy must remember this favor.

“Everyone praised Cheng Xu for his impartial conduct. Even the Emperor specifically summoned him to praise him and rewarded your Second Grand-Uncle with a set of the four treasures of the study.

“Only then did your grandfather realize how serious the situation was.

“He had no choice but to agree to let your Fourth Uncle manage affairs when he grew up.

“But your grandfather also quietly instructed your Second Uncle and me to be sure to protect your Fourth Uncle completely. Once we could stand firm, we should cast off the household affairs, no matter who managed them, and couldn’t let anything happen to your Fourth Uncle.”

But they hadn’t anticipated that the household affairs would be so treacherous.

When Cheng Chi first started out, if not for Qin Zining, he would have died long ago.

This decision was made by Father. Mother had no way to resent Father, so she resented herself.

From then on, she had no kind face for the two of them brothers either.

She felt they had traded their younger brother’s life for their own prospects.

When he and Second Brother saw Cheng Chi, they also felt guilt and shame, unable to face him.

These words—he had no one to confide in.

Thinking of this, Cheng Jing’s eyes dimmed.

Jiashan was his only son. He definitely didn’t want him taking over those messy household affairs.

On Second Grand-Uncle’s side, the line had died out with no one even available to continue it.

In the future… they would probably have to abandon the Seven Star Hall.

Cheng Jing sighed and said, “Speaking of it, this time I’ve wronged your mother. Your Second Uncle and I have long wanted to separate the clan branches, but we could never find a suitable pretext. By coincidence, we encountered this matter with your younger brother, and Cheng Shi and Cheng Zheng were caught red-handed by your mother. Perhaps this is Heaven’s will! Once we separate, neither I nor your Fourth Uncle need to be held hostage by Cheng Xu anymore. If we encounter another opportunity like last time when someone recommended him, your Fourth Uncle can also take the chance to break free, cast off the household affairs, and properly become an official.”

Cheng Zheng nodded slightly.

The matter of Song Jingran recommending Fourth Uncle to enter the Ministry of Works as an official, only for Father to refuse Fourth Uncle’s entry into service on grounds of clan member avoidance, had long spread throughout the capital.

While people marveled at the Cheng family’s flourishing prosperity like brocade flowers and boiling oil, quite a few made snide remarks that Father was afraid Fourth Uncle entering official service would block the younger brothers’ paths… Because of this, Gu Xu had even asked her what was really going on.

The thought flashed by, and Cheng Zheng took a deep breath.

If they were separating the clan branches, then so be it!

As long as the Cheng family was strong enough and handled matters properly, when people brought it up afterward they would only find it natural and proper.

At least Fourth Uncle could break free from those business dealings.

So that’s why Grandmother remained silent?

She nodded gently.